Hey John, Since you have a relationship with your local dealer and it stands to reason you are a significant customer, my question would be have you talked with your local dealer about the issues? As a dealer he can choose from a number of different suppliers. He could easily use the same manufacturer that McMaster-Carr uses and who knows maybe even for less! Just a thought.

Hi John!
Sorry if I upset you. It was certainly not intentional and simply a function of not compeletely understanding. You probably already know this and there are two basic types. Cast and Extruded. Cast is very precision where the Extruded version has greater variables. When I read what you had written it seemed as if you needed cast and were receiving extruded. My intent was to suggest options as being a buyer for several engineers I have had similar problems. The words I enjoy the most are when an engineer comes to me and says "Well, I got what I ordered and it is not what I want"

Hi John! Doing a Google search for cast polycarbonate tube gives several places to choose from. One site (usplastics.com) http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/produc ... 5Fid=24993 seems like a good start. They also have a "live chat" which may be useful. On one site they listed dozens of "trade names" from different manufactures. You may need to just write a standard set of questions/requests in word and e-mail them to a number of sites. I can very much understand the frustration of attempting to narrow the results as I have many times experienced the same. My primary field is electronics as I work for two television stations although it seems things have expanded to "ass gaskets" and "urinal mints". My knowledge of plastics came from an "old timer" who retired and I wish I could ask him. So now this is what we would call "pick and shovel work". As for cost, again, the less expensive the better and it is a bit like buying oats. "If you wish for nice, clean, new oats this has one cost. If you wish oats after they have gone through the horse, these come at a much lower price!" I will keep looking for you. I understand you wish the material to be as clear, strong, and dimentionally stable as possible.

Hi John, just an update. Checking with local "Plastics experts" poly tubes can be coated with either or both a UV coating and anti-abrasion coating causing the wall thickness and overall weight to vary depending upon the manufacturing process used to apply the coating(s). Best suggestion is to e-mail the plastics folks at DuPont for their recommendations. GE Plastics would have been the first choice and GE sold their plastics division to another country! I sincerely hope this is helpful and useful.